Midland High, Lee football predicted to make playoffs

Published 6:33 pm, Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Midland High earned a spot in Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine Class 5A preseason top 25, and the magazine predicted that both the Bulldogs and Lee will make the playoffs.

Midland High, which shared the District 3-5A title last season, is ranked No. 22 in the top 25 and is one of three 3-5A teams to make the list. Abilene Cooper is ranked No. 16 and Abilene High is listed at No. 18.

Abilene Cooper is predicted to win the district with Abilene High second, Midland High third and Lee taking the fourth and final playoff spot. Odessa High is listed in fifth and Odessa Permian in sixth.

In District 4-3A, Monahans is predicted to win with Seminole second, Andrews third, and Greenwood fourth and Fort Stockton fifth. Greenwood missed out on the playoffs for the just the second time in 11 years in 2010, which was coach Shad Hanna's first season at the school.

Monahans is also ranked No. 15 in the Class 3A top 25.

In District 5-3A, Snyder, which will be led by quarterback Keenon Ward and is ranked No. 10 in the pre-season rankings, is picked to win with Brownwood second and Abilene Wylie in third. Big Spring, which missed the playoffs last season, is picked to finish fourth and Sweetwater fifth.

Crane is picked third in Class 2A Division I, District 2 with Colorado City expected to repeat as district champs with Wall second, Alpine fourth, Denver City, who will now be coached by former Greenwood mentor Steve Taylor, fifth, Kermit sixth and San Angelo Grape Creek seventh.

Crane LB Dalton Degraffenreid was named to the Class 2A Preseason All-State team.

Both Coahoma and Stanton are picked to make the playoffs in 2A-Division II, District 2, as Coahoma is second and Stanton third with defending Division II champ Idalou the favorite to the win the district. Post is listed in fourth, Forsan fifth, Anson six and Hawley seventh.

Iraan, which is ranked No. 8 in the magazine's Class A Division II poll, is the favorite to win A-Division II, District 5 with Marfa second and McCamey third.

Both Garden City and Rankin earned slots in the Six-Man Division I top 10. Garden City, the two-time and defending D-I state champion, ranked third and the Bearkats seventh. The Bearkats are picked to win District 7 with Rankin second.

Recent Garden City grad Brett Chudej was named the Six-Man Player of the Year after posting 1,213 receiving yards and scoring 25 TDs. He also registered 127 tackles with three interceptions and kicked 90 point after attempts.

Also Garden City QB Blayne Batla was given honorable mention for the magazine's Six-Man Coverboy. The title went to Richland Springs QB Denim Reeves.

In Six-Man Division I, District 5, Grady is picked to finish third behind Borden County and rival Sands.

Midland Christian is the favorite in TAPPS Division II, District 1. Also, Midland Christian running back/defensive back Christian Whigham was listed among the state's top 100 juniors as a running back.